A Broken Leg, a Broken Heart, and a Broken Curfew
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Luxa breaks her leg showing off and obviously that means it's Gregor's fault. Obviously. - One-shot.


A Broken Leg, a Broken Heart, and a Broken Curfew

"Lux-"

"Your fault."

"But-"

"Your fault."

"I-"

"Your fault."

Then, right there in the hospital room, Gregor and Luxa had one of their most intense glaring matches. She won, she always won, why the hell did he even play? Honestly?

"It was not my fault," he told her, even though he looked away first. "How was I supposed to know that you would break your leg?"

"Negligence is no excuse."

"Negligence? How was I negligent?"

"You were negligent to not know that it would break my leg."

"You're impossible."

"And it's still your fault."

It all happened earlier that day when Gregor made his weekly appearance in the Underland to secretly spend time with Luxa while also looking as if he just wished to practice sword training. The easier place to do that was, of course, the arena.

Ah, the arena. It was such a great place, really. Unless one happened to be a fourteen year old boy with his girlfriend around, practicing aerial stunts purely for the purpose to show off. Then you have to find your own way of showing off, so you join the other guys practicing with blood balls and prove that you can hit them all. Because you always hit them all! So you just keep hitting them and hitting them and she just keeps getting more and more jealous and has to do all these stupid jumps off her bond's back until she finally, finally, screws up and breaks her leg. In her rush to get to her, you totally forget all about the blood balls.

She later taunts you for not hitting them all.

So that was basically Gregor's life at that moment. As Luxa had explained it, if he hadn't have been showing off, she wouldn't have had messed up in her dismount. Yup.

"Why am I not surprised-"

"No," Luxa said flatly. "No. I request another nurse…doctor…or whatever you are. I want another one. Now."

"I am sorry, Luxa, but you do not get the luxury."

"I am the Queen. I get every luxury I desire." She sat up in the bed before making a face. Her leg had not been wrapped yet and it was clearly causing her pain. "Where is the doctor that was in here before?"

"Gone. I told him that I would love to take over." Howard came forward. "I am your cousin, after all."

"Isn't there a rule that you can't operate on family members?"

"I am not operating, cousin."

"You are also not touching me, _cousin_." Luxa looked to Gregor, who was just relaxing in the chair, used to their fighting by then. "Overlander, I order you to kill him."

"What?"

"Or at the very least, make him leave."

Gregor only shook his head at her. "I'm not going to-"

"Your fault."

"Stop saying that."

"Luxa," Howard interrupted then. "You have two choices here. Either I set your leg or you lay without it set, get a fever, and eventually die of an infection."

"…Infection does not seem too-"

"Luxa!"

"Lux," Gregor sighed. "Just let him tend to your leg, huh?"

"No." She crossed her arms, almost looking like she was pouting. "I want another doctor. I demand another doctor."

"Sorry," Howard only shook his head. "I am all you have."

"Figures," Luxa grumbled. "I probably actually already died and this is just my Hell."

* * *

Crutches were not fun for Luxa. They made moving about a lot harder. She did not see the fun that they held for Gregor, who would always pick up her crutches when she sat them down and mess round on them.

Although they were good for one thing.

"Stop hitting me with your damn crutch, Luxa."

"I am poking you," she corrected. "You are so far away, this was the only way to get your attention."

"What do you want?"

"I am thirsty."

"You have a drink."

"I wish for wine."

"You whine constantly."

"Gregor-"

"Luxa-"

"Your fault."

"None of this is my fault!"

"Here you guys are." Hazard came into the sitting room then, looking back and forth between Gregor and Luxa. She was as she had been for the past week since she broke her leg, annoying and insistent that Gregor was all at fault. At the moment Gregor was busy studying, one of his school text books spread out over his lap, his backpack on the ground in front of the couch.

"What do you want, Hazard?" Luxa asked, looking up at the nine year old. "We're busy."

"Gregor's busy. You're just sitting there."

"Bothering me," Gregor said. "She's busy brothering me."

She tried to hit him with one of the crutches then, but he only grabbed it and threw it across the room.

"Enough."

"You are so emotional, Gregor."

"Right, Lux, I'm emotional."

"Thank you for giving in so easily."

Hazard only cleared his throat, causing both of them to look at him.

"What?" Luxa finally asked, wishing he would hurry up and leave so she could get back to bothering her boyfriend. "What is wrong with you? What do you want?"

"I wanted to know if Gregor is staying for dinner."

Luxa looked to him and he only nodded his head; it was Friday night, after all. He was going to spend the majority of his time in the Underland that weekend, like usual.

"Yep, I am," Gregor said. "Why?"

Hazard only turned to walk away. "I am inviting a guest as well, Luxa."

"What? No. Who? It's not Howard is it? I refuse to allow him to-"

"No, Luxa, it's not."

"Is it…a friend?" She almost seemed giddy from the thought. "Are you going to invite a friend? Oh, Hazard, yes. You can have friends over whenever you wish."

"Okay," he said simply. "I want a cake for dessert."

"You can have whatever you wish for, so long as you are truly bringing a friend."

"I am."

"…And Hazard?"

"What?"

"It's not…I mean…Gregor…" She looked to him for help causing him to sigh and look up form his text book.

"Your friend is real, right, Hazard? Not, like, imaginary? Or a bug or something?"

"Of course," Hazard replied with his matter-of-fact tone. "She is."

So both Gregor and Luxa relaxed again after he was gone for a moment or two. Slowly, she moved to lean against him slightly and he just continued to stare down at his text book, trying to study up for a test on Monday. Then, about the same time, Luxa and Gregor both realized something.

"She?" Luxa looked back to the doorway, but of course her younger cousin was gone. "Did he say she?"

Gregor only snickered. "Guess Hazard has a girl- Ow, Luxa! I thought I tossed that away?"

She only continued to hit him with her other crutch. "He does not!"

Shoving her away, he only groaned, "Why do I like this place so much?"

* * *

"This is demeaning."

"That's the point. It's punishment. Until you are able to learn the proper use for crutches-"

"I know the proper use. I just pointedly decided to find a better use for them."

"-this is how you are going to get around," Gregor finished. "Or at least when I am around."

It was not too bad, having Gregor carry her around. In fact, Luxa probably secretly liked it, he was sure. They were staying close to the royal wing, only leaving it for him to take her to the dining room, where they knew only a few guards and servants would be. No one would see them.

Plus, they were both really young and really dumb when it came to keeping secrets. Not to mention, even if someone caught him, was it really inappropriate to carry someone incapacitated somewhere?

"Something wrong with your crutches, Luxa?" Nerissa asked as they entered the dining hall. She was always the first in the room. Always.

"No, cousin. The Overlander is merely being-"

"The Overlander is tired of hearing you talk, Luxa."

"I can still hit you with my hands."

"And I can still drop you," he countered back.

He did drop her then, though it was only at the head of the table. She gave him a hard look before straightening herself in her chair, sitting up tall as she could. Gregor only rolled his eyes before taking the seat on her right.

"Vikus is not joining us," Luxa announced to Gregor and Nerissa then. "He has not felt well as of late. Hazard is bring a friend, however, Nerissa."

"Oh, how nice." She pulled the blanket around her shoulders tighter around herself, looking around. Gregor could tell that she just wanted to get the dinner over with so she could go back to bed. "What sort of bug is it, exactly?"

"What? No." Luxa shook her head. "It is a human, I assure you."

"You do not say." Nerissa seemed unconvinced. Or maybe uninterested. One or the other. "What is his name?"

"Her." Luxa picked up a glass when it was set in front of her. Water. Bleh.

She had been requesting only wine, but Vikus was still sane enough and in enough control of her to make sure that request was vetoed on a normally daily basis. He told her when she was crowned, she could drink as much as she pleased.

She only told him when she was crowned, she would outlaw old age and have him put down. He only laughed at her wittiness. She only frowned at his incompetence.

At the moment, however, Vikus was not there. So, she quickly ordered a servant to bring her some wine, also asking for the Overlander to be brought some ale. Gregor gave her a hard look, but she played t off as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Aurora was the next to arrive. She immediately took notice of the fact that Luxa and Gregor were both happily guzzling down their alcohol of choice and made some fuss about it. Luxa only told her that she would do as she wished, that she was the Queen, and no one could tell her what to do.

Aurora stewed quietly in the corner.

"I do not drink," Nerissa announced then to no one in particular. Honesty, no one cared. Even Gregor couldn't fake interest, instead focusing on trying to drink as much ale as Luxa was wine. Everything was a competition to them.

Everything.

When Hazard arrived, he had with him, true to his word, a little girl in tow. She looked about his age, though of course she was full Underlander, and…that was about all Gregor noticed about her. His head was starting to swim as he downed another mug of ale. Luxa seemed just as woozy as him, she had to be, but she was of course hiding it slightly better.

"Gregor, Luxa," Hazard began. Then, upon noticing Nerissa, he added on her name before continuing. "This is my friend. Her name is Mildred."

That name alone about sobered both Gregor and Luxa both right up. It was Luxa that had to speak though, as she greeted the young girl. As always when people addressed Luxa, the girl bowed and thanked the Queen for accepting her presence. Gregor about gagged.

It was a good thing he hadn't, however, as he was pretty sure his stomach would have tossed all that alcohol right back up.

"Luxa is my cousin," Hazard was telling the girl then. "And Nerissa is her cousin. And Gregor is the Overlander."

"The warrior," Luxa corrected.

"The warrior is dead," Nerissa remarked then, staring absently down at the table.

Actually, Gregor was right there and could have introduced himself…had he not been regretting his alcohol consumption in that moment.

"Gregor is Gregor," Hazard decided finally before taking his seat. Then he looked to Luxa. "There is still to be cake, yes?"

Rolling her eyes heavily, she said, "Yes, Hazard. After you eat everything on your plate. And I mean everything."

Hazard looked to Mildred then. "Luxa is very strict."

"Hazard!"

And slowly on her way to becoming very, very drunk. Gregor only shook his head when food was set in front of him. The ale was not settling well with him and he knew that he would not eat much that night.

"Wow, Hazard," Nerissa was saying then. She almost sounded normal. Almost. "I was shocked when Luxa said that you were having a friend over. How do you both know each other?"

Hazard took that question as Mildred dug into her food.

"Her father is a general, so she is in the palace a lot."

"We play together," Mildred added. Hazard, of course, did not like this word. Play was not something he thought he did. Oh, no. He was far too serious for frivolous playing. Under normal circumstances, Gregor would have given him some sort of good-natured ribbing for the whole situation. They were not under normal circumstances, however.

And damn it. Luxa was getting another glass of wine. Not to be out done, he slung back the rest of his ale, forcing her to ask for his mug to be refilled as well. She narrowed her eyes at him the entire time, though he wasn't sure if she had caught on to their contest or she realized that without her crutches, she was left with only him to carry her around. There was no way he would be able to accomplish it right then.

"Not play," Hazard corrected then. "We-"

"We're promised to one another," the little girl kept up. Hazard seemed to pale even more while Gregor thought about what that meant. It hit him about the same time as Luxa.

Her wine had by far gone to her head at that point and she was a lot more relaxed than usual. In fact, she was so relaxed that she actually found the thought of what the girl said funny. Really funny, if one were to judge from her laugh alone.

"Are you?" Nerissa asked, grinning at the thought. "Wow, Hazard. I-"

"That's how come I've come to you, Luxa," Hazard said, looking solemnly to his cousin then. "Tell her."

"Tell who?" Luxa was busy taking a sip from her wine glass then, pointedly staring at Gregor. He only frowned, but didn't move to pick up his mug of ale. The thought alone was dead in him.

"You are the one who is in control of me," Hazard explained. "Tell her that you do not wish for me to be promised to her."

"What? Hazard-"

"Tell her, Luxa. About how much you-"

"I do not-"

"Oh no," Gregor groaned. Shaking his head, he looked hard at Hazard. Even in his state he could tell what was going on. "Hazard, Luxa can't break up with a girl for you."

Of course those words were lost on all of the others in the room. Luxa frowned at him while Hazard only continued to glare at his older cousin, expecting her to fix things for him. Mildred seemed completely confused by the whole situation and just awaited her Queen's words.

"I do not see a problem with you being promised young," Luxa said finally. "It was your choice and now you are stuck with it."

"What? No, Luxa." Hazard was glaring at her, really. "You have to tell me about how I can't decide something like that. How it is your choice. How-"

"I am not going to."

"But you have to!"

"Hazard," Mildred spoke up then. "Why are you-"

"Having real friends is harder than having animals as friends," he said suddenly and very loudly. "And having a wife would be even worse, Luxa! So fix it. I don't ever wanna be promised to a girl. Ever. So tell her that I can't be so that-"

"Hazard!"

"Hazard," his friend whispered then, turning to look at him. "You mean that?"

He seemed to think for a moment before nodding his head and saying, "Yes. I do."

She got up then, of course, running from the room in tears. Hazard, never one for emotion anyways, shrugged before going to work on that food Luxa mentioned he had to eat to get his dessert.

"Hazard," Gregor began then, though his tongue was becoming thick. "Did you bring that girl here just to do that?"

"Yep."

"You cannot…you may not do that again," Luxa finally said, glaring at him. "That was wrong, Hazard."

"How?"

"Because…" She looked to Gregor, but he just shrugged. "Because I said so."

"Why did you two promise yourselves to each other anyways?" Gregor asked.

"She said that she liked me. I liked her too. Then. Back then I did. So I thought that was what someone would do. Are you not promised to anyone, Gregor?"

He glanced at Luxa. "Girls have cooties, Hazard."

"What are-"

"No more having friends over," Luxa interrupted. "You hear me, Hazard?"

"That's okay," he said with a shrug. "I do not think I like having friends after all. When do I get my cake?"

"Never."

"What? But you said-"

"Gregor, Nerissa, and I get cake. You were bad. You get nothing."

"Lux," Gregor sighed. To Hazard, he said simply, "You did wrong, buddy. You hurt her feelings."

"Then she is weak. Luxa has no feelings. She is strong."

Gregor didn't know what was worse; that Hazard thought that or that Luxa took that as a compliment.

"I think that it was very cute, Hazard," Nerissa told him absently. She had been rather lucid as of late, as her medications were once again changed. Gregor knew it wouldn't last long, though. "Little children playing adult."

"I do not play," he told her. "I-"

"Oh, sorry. I meant…" She looked off, as if in thought. "Masquerading."

That word worked for Hazard, as he probably had no idea what it meant. He looked to Luxa then before nodding at his plate.

"I'm not going to eat it if I am not going to get my cake after," he warned her.

"Then starve."

"Luxa."

"Hazard."

So of course Hazard pouted all through dinner, repeatedly giving Luxa nasty looks. When dessert came, however, she let him have his cake. After all, he was just a little boy.

"I feel disabled," Luxa grumbled as after dinner he carried her from the dining hall.

"I don't feel so hot either," he mumbled to her. "And I still gotta get home."

"You should sober up," she told him.

He only grunted, regretting not allowing her to keep her crutches. When he came back down the next day, she was most definitely getting them back. He was certain anyways that if he took them away, she would suddenly wish to go everywhere and just try to wear him out.

Gregor carried her to the sitting room in the royal wing, dropping her gently on one couch before collapsing onto it with her, resting his head in her lap.

"My crutches-"

"I'll get 'em before I go," he mumbled, closing his eyes. "You and your damn leg. We went through hell and back, when we used to do those stupid prophecies, but you fall once in the arena and you get a broken leg?"

"Luck was not with me, I suppose." She flicked at his head. "And the prophecies are not stupid."

He only grunted.

"Have I mentioned today that you did not hit all the blood balls?"

"In my haste to get to you."

"Sure."

"Not to mention, I totally drunk more ale than you did wine today."

"Wine has a higher concentration of alcohol," she told him then. "I won before we even began."

"No way." He closed his eyes tightly as his stomach lurched. "Then how come you're not drunk?"

"Who says I am not?" She was stroking his head then, as if absently. "You have to go home."

"Yeah," he sighed, not moving in the slightest. "Eventually."

"Mmmm. Eventually."

It went without saying that when Gregor arrived home at around three in the morning Overland time, he was not only barred from Luxa, but also grounded from leaving his house at all.

He would have been more distraught, had he thought for a second the banned would hold. It never did.

Never.


End file.
